Boquete Weather

Well if there is nothing else to speak or write about there is always the weather. Right? It is true!! Those who live in Chicago will understand. Living in Boquete is no different. The weather is amusing if not surprising. One wonders about the weather daily. You get up in morning look at the sky, " Hum - are we gonna have nice weather today?" One has to understand why it is the way that it is. Here is a brief description as to how the weather pattern works in this area of Panama.

During the dry season, the northern winds can carry some moisture over the mountain range from the Caribbean Sea into the northern part of the Boquete District.

Since the Boquete District is on the leeward side of the mountains relative to the Caribbean cloud systems, the moisture that gets pushed over from the Caribbean side usually comes in the form of a mist or light rain that is locally called the “bajareque.” It is a fine but very wet mist. Because of this dry season moisture, the northern part of the Boquete District and the Province of Bocas del Toro get more constant rains and are classified as Am tropical climates (short dry) rather than Aw (with wet and dry seasons) climates. Average of 136 inches a year.

This mist looks like tiny floating pollen. Very delicate one can barely see it. It is said women in Boquete look younger because of this moisture. If one moves here and stays here for a period of time they will began looking youthful again. Well if I look 20 years younger by next year you will know why!

The name Boquete in Spanish means a "hole" or an "opening." Originally this area was called "El Boquete" meaning the hole or opening to the valley.

The Boquete district includes the countries tallest mountain, Volcan Baru an inactive volcano which is 11400 feet high (3475 meters) and home to tropical rainforests. People from all over the world drive up as far as they can or hike all the way up to the Volcan Baru. They do an overnight (no hotel) in sleeping bags or whatever. The attraction is watching the sunset on the Pacific Ocean and waking up the sunrise on the Carribean. Hey! The best of both worlds. I hear it is breathing taking and have seen videos - it is.

The city of Bajo Boquete (Lower Boquete) in the Subdistrict of Bajo Boquete sits in a bowl like valley surrounded by Volcan Baru to the west it is 3281 to 7218 feet high. This is where Lane and I live in the 3000+ part. The area of Boquete covers 189 square miles (484 square kilometers) and has a lot of topographical variation in terrain and elevation.

Well getting back to today it was a beautiful and the cloud formations just as gorgeous.

I have included some pics of Boquete. The first is overlooking the town of Boquete, the cream building with clay tiles is where we live in one of the three condos.